Antarctic rescue

BRIEFS

SolarDuck hired for Tokyo Bay

Dutch floating wind firm SolarDuck has announced it will build Japan’s first offshore floating solar demonstrator as part of the city’s future plans. The solar power generation and automated sailing boat technology will be trialled in Tokyo Bay as part of a metropolitan government plan ’to create a sustainable city that looks 50 to 100 years into the future’. Few details were released, although the project does include marine battery storage, the announcement said.

Jupe named IMRF CEO

The International Maritime Rescue Federation has named Caroline Jupe as its new CEO following the retirement of Theresa Crossley. Jupe joined the IMRF in 2016 and became head of Fundraising and Projects, developing initiatives to improve the practices of search-andrescue organisations around the globe. “Maritime SAR is constantly evolving in response to new challenges, but we are stronger when we face those challenges - and work out solutions – together,” she said.

Three hybrid vessels for HST

Damen will build three Fast Crew Supplier 2710 vessels for HST (High Speed Transfers) for delivery in 2024. The vessels will be fitted with 190kW battery arrans so they can operate on electric while in harbour or waiting offshore. When running on diesel, the batteries can be charged and used to run the hotel operations on the vessel. Damen says the boats will be IMO Tier 3 compliant.

ROYAL NAVY RESCUES SNOWBOUND RESEARCHERS

The UK Royal Navy has rescued a small snowbound team of UK polar researchers on the Antarctic peninsula after tonnes of snow buried buildings and damaged a roof at their research base.

Sailors from the Royal Navy ice patrol ship HMS Protector, the only ice patrol ship belonging to the Navy, spent two days clearing snow and carrying out repairs at the Port Lockroy site, where a UK Antarctic Heritage Trust team carry out their research. Between two and four metres of snow have fallen in recent days.

Equipped with two cranes capable of lifting up to 60 tonnes, the 4,700HP HMS Protector has a 5,000-tonne total displacement and can sail through ice with a thickness of half a metre. She pays regular visits to international bases in Antarctica, delivering supplies and monitoring climate change such as glacial retreat and melting ice. Data are recorded with hi-tech sensors and used to update seafaring charts ”Protector’s marine engineers used traditional naval damage control methods using wooden stakes and blocks to stabilise the

8 A research team had to be dug

out of its base in Antarctica

structure, similar to how they would support a deckhead or bulkhead on a damaged warship,” the Navy reported.

“It is good for the ship’s company to step ashore and help out. The sailors were all smiles and happy to get cracking on with such a worthwhile task,” said warrant officer First Class Lee ‘Rattler’ Morgan, Protector’s executive warrant officer, paying his second visit of the year to Port Lockroy. ‘’I was taken aback by the sheer amount of snow and how the buildings had all but disappeared.”

Despite fears that the planet is warming, research by various organisations, including a 2015 NASA report, show ice density at the South Pole is increasing.

In February 2022, a report in EOS, the science magazine published by the American Geophysical Union, showed the extent of ice at the Antarctic has been increasing for the last 40 years.

8 HMS Protector

Innovations Showcase NOW OPEN at Seawork

The first innovations entries have been received for next year’s European Commercial Marine Awards at Seawork - and we are throwing down the gauntlet to wannabe naval architects to enter the unmissable Cardboard Boat Regatta.

Seawork’s Innovations Showcase display gives visitors the chance to see the latest expertise in equipment, services, projects and vessels that have come onto the commercial marine market since the last Seawork exhibition.

As part of the European Commercial Marine Awards (ECMAs), entries to the Innovations Showcase are judged in various categories for their contributions to the sector. Each winner receives an award, and there is one overall winner who is then presented with the ’Spirit of Innovation’ trophy.

Seawork is Europe’s largest commercial marine and workboat exhibition, and each winner will receive coverage via the Seawork, Marine Civils and Maritime Journal channels: 4 More than 100k unique users yearly online on Seawork.com 4 42, 000 Seawork page views per month 4 28, 600 Maritime Journal subscribers 4 More than 60k social media following

For more information, please call +44 01329825335 or email awards@seawork.com

Get your creation on the water!

Almost as popular as the awards is the annual Cardboard Boat Regatta, sponsored by defending champions Knighthood Marine.

Dare you get your design on the water and race against your closest competitors to take one of the many crowns up for grabs in next year’s ‘Kings & Queens’ themed race?

Click here for details of how to enter the race for Fastest Boat, Best Bedecked Boat or Most Spectacular Sinking.

Historic Hamburg tunnel revamp

Both tunnel tubes of St Pauli Elbtunnel are being refurbished in a major, complex project being undertaken by the Hamburg Port Authority (HPA).

The tunnel has enabled the people of Hamburg to cross from the northern habour to Elbe island for more than 100 years.

As well as being used by around 40,000 cars and a million pedestrians a year, its pipelines also carry fresh water through the 430m length under the River Elbe.